Back in February 2022, the official McDonald's website announced that the famous McRib would return later this year, but did not disclose further information about when the sandwich would be back. We can assume the sandwich will be available "for a limited time," which is usually around 2 months, but it's a little harder to tell which months, exactly.

In 2021, the McRib had a November 1st launch date to celebrate the 40th birthday of the iconic sandwich. In both 2018 and 2019, the McRib returned in October, but in 2020, due to pandemic-related delays, the McRib did not make an appearance until December; this gives us a loose timeframe that is supported by some McDonald's personnel.

The McRib consistently appears during the fourth quarter of every year, as a way to increase sales before the year's end. The marketing director of McDonald's admitted that bringing the McRib back for a short time each year generates hype and higher sales, meaning that in 2022, we'll likely see the McRib return during the lucrative holiday season.